FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Andrew Staub
Communications Specialist
York County Convention & Visitors Bureau
717-852-9675, ext. 103 or astaub@yorkpa.org

Louise Heine
Destination Marketing Director
York County Convention & Visitors Bureau
717-852-9675, ext. 109 or louise@yorkpa.org

YORK, PA - The Keystone State Games Festival of Sports, presented by York College of Pennsylvania, will cap a successful three-year run in York County when it returns for five days of action-packed competition July 26-30. 

More than 5,700 participants and more than 7,200 spectators are expected to converge upon York County for this year's Games, according to the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau.  More than $6 million in economic benefits for the local community are anticipated.

"The Keystone State Games have been a crown jewel in York County's lineup of sporting events, which drove more than $26 million into the community during the last fiscal year alone. Sports visitors generate the greatest return on investment for our community as they have the highest spending level of all visitor types, according to primary research," said Anne Druck, President of the YCCVB.  "Like the Keystone State Games, the majority of the sports events we host are youth competitions. Youth visitors possess the highest compounding economic potential for our community. They have the greatest opportunities to return as visitors, students and residents.  Hosting youth visitors ensures the future economic vitality of York County." 

Athletes will partake in almost 30 different sporting events spread across 17 venues. Competition starts with bocce on July 26 and ramps up to include baseball, bowling, field hockey, ice hockey, basketball, swimming, track and field, wrestling and much more. July 29 will mark the busiest day of competition, with more than 20 events throughout the day.

Athletes and their families can also enjoy a special night out at the ballpark on Thursday, July 27, when the York Revolution take on the Bridgeport Bluefish at PeoplesBank Park in Downtown York. 

This will mark the ninth time that York County has played host for the Keystone State Games.

"York has been an excellent home for the Keystone State Games, and we're excited to bring another year of outstanding athletic competition to town later this month," said James J. Costello, the Executive Director of the Keystone State Games. "We invite all York County residents, and anyone interested in sports, to come out and enjoy this celebration of amateur athletics."

For more information about the Keystone State Games, as well as tentative schedules and competition locations, please visit www.PremierSportingEvents.com.

The York County CVB thanks everyone who has made it possible to host the Keystone State Games, including the dedicated volunteers on the Local Organizing Committee and the Sponsorship Committee.

"We thank all the sponsors of the Keystone State Games for their generous support over the past three years, especially York College of Pennsylvania, the presenting sponsor," Druck said. "Almost $340,000 in total sponsorship dollars was used to offset the bid fee to host the Games and was also reinvested in the York County community to pay for facility rentals at the York Expo Center, York City Ice Arena, York College of Pennsylvania, and the Dallastown, Susquehannock and Central York high schools, to name just a few of our event locations."

The Keystone State Games are a result of a resolution introduced by Representative Joseph R. Pitts (Chester County) and approved by the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 1980.

Since its inception, Keystone State Games, Inc. has attracted hundreds of thousands of athletes in various age groups to its events. Keystone State Games, Inc., a nonprofit corporation, was formed in 1983, with the help of former Governor Richard Thornburgh, so the Games would not be solely dependent on government funding.

The York County Convention & Visitors Bureau's Sport York initiative is designed to recruit events and generate additional economic impact in York County. Sport York positions York County as Pennsylvania's Premier Sports Destination, highlighting the area's dynamic facilities and central location on the East Coast. For further information about Sport York, visit www.yorkpa.org/sports.

The York County Convention & Visitors Bureau's Mission is to maximize tourism expenditures and their economic impact in York County, PA, through comprehensive tourism sales and marketing programs. The York County CVB's Vision is for a York County where tourism is recognized for the value of its economic impact and its role in raising the profile of York County as a sought-after destination. For more information on the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau, call 1-888-858-9675 or visit www.yorkpa.org. 

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